Peter Dockrill – Editor

Since 1983, I have worked as a writer and editor on magazines, books, newspapers, websites and corporate publications. I started at the Canadian Press wire service, where I learned how to convey information in lean, economical prose without becoming terse or dry. Over the years, I have been involved in just about every aspect of the editorial process – developing ideas, writing, assigning stories and larger projects, copyediting, fact-checking, proofreading and overall project management. Although I began my career working on newspapers and magazines, in recent years I have specialised in long-form magazine articles and non-fiction books, covering a wide range of topics.

I have found that I have a particular skill for copyediting, with a sharp eye for spelling, grammatical and factual errors, inconsistencies in style and narrative contradictions. As a copyeditor, I approach all my work with a single, simple goal: to work closely with writers to create text that uses clear, concise language and vivid storytelling techniques to inform and engage readers. After spending more time than 25 years condensing text for Reader's Digest, I can also cut text that is running long while retaining essential information and maintaining the writer's voice.